The Opelousas courier., 1887-11-26
SUPPLEMENT-.
GOOD GOVERNMENT.
sHAr IT HAS DONE FOR LOUISIANA.
Speech of EIr. Ernest B. Kruttschnitt at
the Democratic Meeting at Lake
Charles on Saturday Last.

the Democratic Meeting at Lake
Charles on Saturday Last.
Mr.. Ernest B. K1uttschnitt, of New Or
tsans, was one Of the speakers at the Demo-
cratic mass meeting at Lake Charles, adj
dressing the night meeting. Mr.. Krutt-
Fcfnitt spoke in substance as follows:
Fellow itizens-It is pleasant for Demo-
crats to meet in party gathering today,
Then nES d single cloud appears upon the no
5 c picture Of peace and plenty. honor and
orosperity which have followed throughout
The whole land in the wake Democratic sue
,ess. In national affairs We may extend to
zach other congratulations for past victories,
gnd we may look with most perfect conn.,
aence to the future, since the electors of the
Empire State have recently announced In no
uncertain tones that the national battle of
1888 viii be fought ard won under the
same leader as that of 1884, and II we turn
from the nation to our own beloved State,
have We less cause for rejoicing? When we
fegained our autonomy IN 1876 we Iound
debt, bearing a rate OF interest 50 high as to
necessitate a rate of taxation absolutely ruin
aus to all enterprise and industry; the State
credit on a par with that of Mexico and Tur-
sice meted out with tardy and uncer-
ain hand, the school system a disgrace to
modern civilization, our alluyial lands sub.
i ct to annual overflow through broken and
mined leyees, the great metropolis utterly
irsolvent and subject TO codSttess suits and
attack by her i~mportunate creditors, and as
though an angry heaven would never stay
IT'S hand falling SO heavily upon our unhappy
State, the year following our newly-acquired
freedom saw one of the most fearful vista
lions of pestilence to which our fair land was
ever subjected. Our people, brayely fought
The terrible battle, but they felt all the gloom
md the misery of the old regime still brood
ing over them in their efforts to restore the
ruined commonwealth to her ancient glory
and prosperity, and they determined to break
with the hated past, TO discard the old Con-
stitution OF the earpet-bagger, and to start
she work of reconstruction from the ground
up. Although at the time opposed to SO COM
plete a revolution, l nov believe that the &C
ton of the people was for the best. What
have we achieved under the new regime?
First and most inestimable of benefits was
the finalan satisfactory
SETTLEMENT OF THE STATE DEBT
at a rate of interest the same as thai paid by
the United States on her bonds; The credit
of the State, unless you yourselves destroy
it, will within q few short weeks be on O par
with that of any State in the American
Onion: her bonds at thirfy-slx cents IN 1879
are now over ninety. Her commercial honor
and integrity are restored, and her securities
are honored on all the great commercial 81
changes in the w3rld- All this has been nc
scomplished h~aTmonioualy with the assent OF
- FSuiiDISf d}lu W ElCIA NOIlDlCpO
row, my fellow-citizcns, / want you to
understand my position upon this Statediebt
question ~thor0ughly. L have had and have
no other interest in its settlement than any
other good citizen in the State: Ineyer held
one OF these bonds in my life, and l never
represented one of them professionally or
otherwise Nay. / never saw n OF them.
But when | see the Attorney General OF the
state of Virginia in a Federal Jail. when / see
the sovereignty of that proud State dragged
in tho dust and humbled at the feet of q Fed
eral circuit judge, / thank God from the bot
tom 81 my heart mat We nave no Manone IN
white population with the solid negro vote in
. violation of plightedState faith: and thank
God that we have had at the helm one Who
10y his energy. tact and sagacity has satisfied
the public creditor at the same time that he
has projected the people againstthe grinding
iemants of the tax-gatherer.- Such has been
che public confidence inspired by the Demo-
cratic administration that the State treasury,
euceunable to borrow money even with all the
aanctity of d Legislative act to guarantee rs-
imbursement to q fiscal agent, is to-day able,
without special legislation, to obtain all
necessary advances from New Orleans banks,
eonfiding solely in the public honor.
Legislation has been passed whereby
THE CITY DEBT OF NEW LEA
has been established upon q basis firm and
satisfactory alike to debtor and creditors
solution even than the S~tatelebb-and moth
ing now remains to insure the prosperity OF
the Crescent City except an efficient city
New. Orleans hope to solve at the next
municipal election.
If there was any n carpet-bag evil whose
effects were more universally felt then any
ether it was the costly. dilatory, Inefficient
judiciary of the days OF Marmoth and KEEL
logg. Under our new Constitution the
curt nave been increased IN number and In
statistics of the American Bar Association
J1stities me in saying that nowhere IN the
United States is justice to-day moro speedily
and economically administered than in the
State of Louisiana. Ii we considelhe per-
sonnet of The BEECH, We have every reason
80 praise the Judgment, discretion and inn
partially displayed By the present Executive.
Without pretending to be exhaustive in my
the denomination of judges appointed by his
predecessors, he has given US IN New Or
cans Judge VOORHEES,, m ex-3Hdge of the
supreme Court. a nomination SO satisfactory
became known all rivalry disappeared. On
he criminal bench he has given lis Judge
Baker, b man OF s~trictest integrity, most
vigorous common s6Sase, great firmneas. and
kindrst heart-an ideal criminal judge for q
great city.
In the country, overlooking all partisan
feeSqags, he appointed Herman, q political
0pp6s1ens to the vacancy upon the bench Of
sh2s1onrt OF Appeals of the fourth circuit.
and Estllette. him who nominated his 0ppo-
nent in the convention OF 1884, as Judge of
he ~ pa LandTy district fErgsc and t npo ! t the 81
opponent, the now laTa6nted Manning, and
later Judge Watkins, q gentleman who
brought to the bench q close and accurate
knowledge Of Louisiana law and JurlsprU-
aence. and a carefulness Of research which
would constitute him q valued addition to
any court.
TEE SCHOOL SYSTEM
az the State had been vastly improved.
N Ax,nan 10xya hnaY4# VEnhYSflf az d aarf kaIrru +hn
widest dreams OF 9 few years ago. and are
the floods of 1882 viii ever hereafter be an
inapcssipllIfys py 9 vigorous avg Secure
gften knocking at our very gafes, has never
yet been allowed to como within them: tax
collections have been Tigidly enforced. I'M
migration, invited and encouraged not only
end more efficient administration. is already
beginning to seek our State, M vol OF the
parish eli Calcaaieu have been p are des-
tlaed TO be among itS chief beneficiar1es.
Ny fellow-citizens, I have used none of the
EropeB and flowers OF rhetoric. Ihave stated
In plaineKt language facts known to you all.
You invited me to speak at d meeting opel. TO
all Democrats Without regard 10 personal
preferences ii the present campaign. I
have not desired 10 indulge in partisan Bit
terness. I have preferred the p~leasanter
task OF TsYeiing with yen ~ the victories OF
ieye 10 be facts. / have detailed the history
af the party achievements for the past eight
yeare, achievements In which every Demo-
cFat has = right 70 bear e bis part rs !. and II Which
party pride. If Ihaye used words Of praise
III Rpeaking of CIR State administration, my
words have only been such rs even political
hive been won't to yield to their political
brethren of an opposing faction ia all party
platforms iii eyaIy State of the Union. And
set my fellow-eitizens, having uttered these